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Chapter 1 of Egyptian fantasy novel Ra's Warrior
Chapter 1
Cairo, Egypt -- Modern Day
Andrea stumbled from the Great Pyramid straight into high noon’s furnace. Half blind without sunglasses she shielded her eyes as she raced toward the residential complex on the outskirts of the Giza Plateau. Rivulets of sweat dripped down her forehead, burning her squinted eyes, and sand-stippled clothes adhered to her like plastic wrap to a dish. In the later part of the twentieth century, countless archaeologists with their high-tech equipment had somehow failed to notice the scratched out hieroglyphs. They were minuscule, but visible. Hundreds of questions bombarded her.
The mere prospect of such a rarity overwhelmed her making her heart beat faster than a Nubian war-drum. Colors blurred together as she rushed past the influx of tourists. Her excited feet veered toward the largest whitewashed adobe house, which had been her home for the last nine months.
Why hadn’t anyone ever noticed? She wondered again.
Andrea yanked open the wooden door and ducked inside. With a single swipe she cleared the desktop of papers. Her twin sister, Elise, protested in the background. Andrea tugged open a drawer, extracted a pair of gloves, a small digital camera, her log book and then slid her palms down sweat-stained pants. The walls absorbed the sharp snap of latex gloves. Andrea’s emerald irises sparkled when she untied the ribbon with trembling fingers. She unrolled the delicate papyrus and smoothed it over.
Andrea mentally debated about its authenticity because it was intact and so well-preserved. The papyrus was pliable, and even the thin gold ribbon binding it appeared new. There would be more questions than answers until the lab results came back. Picked over through the centuries, most Egyptologists thought the Great Pyramid contained no new knowledge to impart to the modern world. If carbon-14 dating proved the scroll’s age to be anywhere in dynastic history then she found undeniable proof that they were wrong.
“I said I was working on that,” Elise protested again.
“It doesn’t look like it,” Andrea stated bluntly as the camera bulb flashed. Her eyes wandered across the hieroglyphs, ones unviewed for thousands of years. With bated breath, she sank into the leather chair and began translating. “Why were you so well hidden? This can’t be right.”
The click of a closing laptop alerted Andrea to the approach of her twin. Andrea didn’t care much for modern luxuries such as television and computers; the old way was the best way. Footsteps stopped behind her; Elise was intrigued. Andrea scribbled faster.
She had been in those chambers so often that, until now, Andrea thought her colleagues were right--the pyramid was empty because of grave robbers. Keeping her hopes in check challenged her; she couldn’t afford another let down. However, if she was right, the pharaoh’s body laid undisturbed elsewhere.
Egyptologists knew little about Khufu’s reign. According to controversial theorists, the Sphinx and possibly the Great Pyramid were older than the Fourth Dynasty. Ancient Egyptians were notorious for inscribing their names into the stone monuments they erected or refurbished, but only one cartouche with Khufu’s name decorated the relief chamber. He was one of the lost pharaohs and Andrea wanted to find his tomb.
Her father’s voice echoed in her mind, “Determination is the key to success, Andrea.” She wished he were here instead of New York. Andrea wanted nothing more than to share her first major discovery with him, but the odds of catching him at home or awake were low.
“Fascinating.” Andrea tilted her head, glancing at her lingering twin.
“What does it say?” Elise’s anger fizzled quicker than an opening soda bottle. “Where did you find it?” Elise went to touch the ribbon but Andrea shooed her away. “Excuse me?”
“You’re not wearing gloves!”
Elise snatched a few items off the desk, plopped down on a cloud of pillows opposite the door, and grumbled obscenities under her breath.
After finishing the translation, Andrea read the text barely loud enough for her sister to hear. “In a time when Gods walked the earth, I visited the Great House of King Snefru. I recall clearly the day the Fates set the course for my family.
“I am blind, but Ra bestowed sacred sight upon me. ‘I speak only what the Circle of Gods show my mind’s eye,” said I as my withered hand tossed the Bones of Wesir and wavered over them.
“The future, lightning bolts from Ra’s hand, flashed before me. ‘Young Khufu shall ascend to the throne. Contested it shall be, but his destiny is set in the stars flickering on Nut’s belly. The Ankh of Light brings a warrior from a time unborn to defend existence against the Great Serpent.’”
It intrigued her. In the pit of her gut, something reminded Andrea that all myths held some truths.
“‘Light, hope, and love cannot perish or chaos shall gain supremacy over all worlds. Ra’s Warrior must prevail. Upon your death, Prince Khufu, your khat shall be concealed in the Hall of Secrets until the day arrives for you to reawaken.’
“Ra’s divine sunlight had drifted through gossamer curtains; the high god kissed Khufu’s face, reaffirming the prophecy. Little hands quaked, but warm loving eyes smiled down upon him and his father said, ‘You shall be a great king, my son.’ He saw his son’s compassionate nature as a gift of strength, one inviolable enough to guide this world into the light.”
Both young women had upturned brows and enlarged eyes.
“Andrea,” Elise piped.
“Yes?”
“Are you going to tell me where you found that?” Elise’s hands went to her hips.
“In the Queen’s Chamber, stuffed in a crevice.”
“You’re joking right?”
“Do I ever?” Andrea asked with a textured voice.
“Did the nasty bug bite you this morning?”
“I’m sorry, Elise. I’ve just been searching for so long and it irritates me that I may have found an excellent forgery rather than an important clue. The papyrus should be falling apart in my hands. If it’s a forgery, the perpetrator has a talent for faking Old Kingdom script.” She sighed and pushed the chair back. Andrea put her hands behind her head, stretched her legs, and groaned as tension-tightened muscles popped over bone. Standing up, she kicked her feet to get the circulation flowing again.
Elise took this opportunity to examine the scroll.
Andrea’s thoughts roamed as she paced like a caged animal. After all the work and time spent on this expedition, she wanted some recognition. Elise and her dumb luck had found several items since graduating. However, Andrea opted for a challenge when she decided to seek out this particular pharaoh’s tomb. But desire drove her like strong winds drive monsoons; that’s what it was, desire. To find Khufu’s burial chamber and learn about him, those were her ultimate treasures.
“Let’s go downtown!” Elise interrupted her thoughts. A mischievous grin warned of what was coming next.
“Don’t you have a deadline to make?”
“I’m taking a break for a while.”
Now Andrea understood why Elise decided to visit, she was digging for material. “If you ask me it’s a waste of your degree. You should have taken that job offer from the Department of Antiquities, Elise.”
“You don’t wear jealousy very well, sis. I have no desire to spend my life digging in the dirt just so I can end up dried out like those papyri you collect. When was the last time you went on a vacation?”
“It’s been a while,” Andrea admitted.
“You should come with me to Athens this summer. I’ll even buy your ticket. ‘For the Love of Osiris’ is doing great so I can afford it.”
Andrea pressed her thumb against her temple and rubbed. She was fed up with that stupid book. It was all her sister talked about.
“Come on let’s go,” whined Elise.
“Do we have to?”
Elise bobbed her head as she said, “You found something. We have to celebrate.”
“Why can’t you be more serious?”
“Being serious all the time leads to an early grave.”
“I need to study the papyrus, Elise.”
“I’ll leave you alone for the rest of the night if you go; I promise. Besides, I’m starving and I don’t want to go into Cairo alone.”
Andrea knew arguing was useless so she said, “Let’s go.”
“Don’t forget your hat, you’ll . . .”
“Get burned without it, I know.” Andrea nestled the hat onto her head and exhaled sharply.
A few minutes later, the old brown Jeep spluttered to life and jerked into gear. Cairo, a black urban spider-web, sprawled atop the burnt yellow desert. High-rise hotels dotted the skyline. Spiraling minarets atop rounded mosques pierced the sky like needles on a pincushion. The Nile, a sapphire snake with little white imperfections, danced through the ever-changing landscape. As they crossed the A1-Gamma Bridge, Andrea stared at the river until they turned up A1-A heading north toward the Museum of Antiquities. Pulling into the garage where they always parked, the brakes squeaked to a halt. Neither noticed the man who followed them out of the lot.
Mouse-sized dust devils swirled behind moving vehicles and through streets crowded with tourists. Their feet knew the path through the hodgepodge of glitzy stores abuzz with activity.
“Oh, I love this!” Elise pointed to a mannequin with a white shirt and tan pants. “It would look terrific on you. It’s practical too, just like you.” Elise took her hand, and urged her, “Come on, you’ve got to try it on.”
The man stopped just out of sight across the street; his black cloak seemingly concealed him from everyone who walked past.
“I hate clothes shopping.” Andrea tried to pull away, but it was too late. The cluttered store was cramped. She stood near the doorway to avoid bumping into the metal racks, which kept poking her in the back. A sharp heeled boot stepped on her as a flock of women entered the store. Andrea leaned against the wall and rubbed the top of her foot. This was the reason she hated shopping, especially in Cairo. The tourists were rude and didn’t watch where they were going. They must have thought it would cost them something if they paid attention.
“Andrea,” Elise called out from near the dressing room entrance. There was a pile of clothes draped over her arm. Her sister was a typical woman; she loved to shop. However, Andrea avoided it like the plague.
Elise handed her a few outfits and opened the stall’s curtain door. There was hardly enough room to move let alone try on clothes, but Andrea managed. The tan pants had a slimming effect and were a comfortable fit. Although the shirt appeared to be too puffy for her tastes at first glance, it didn’t look bad on her at all. Andrea had to give Elise credit; she had excellent taste.
She thrust aside the curtain. “What do you think?”
“I like it. It makes your butt look bigger.”
“Oh God.” Andrea laughed and closed the curtain. “I guess it’s a keeper.”
“Most definitely,” Elise replied.
They tried on several items and after squandering away a couple hundred dollars, they left.
Andrea glanced heavenward. Dark clouds loomed; the wind’s dissection was bone-chilling. “I don’t like the way the horizon looks.”
“It’s probably a khamsin. Enjoy the day. If you were any more wound up you’d grind your gears.”
“But I feel weird.” Andrea stopped and shuddered.
“Me too, but you don’t see me all twisted out of shape over it. It’s not a biggie,” Elise said, walking ahead.
Problem was Andrea couldn’t. By the time she persuaded her feet to move, Elise had all but vanished into the sea of bobbing heads. Skimming ahead with distressed eyes, Andrea saw her sister haggling with a street vendor. She was out of breath by the time she caught up with her. Elise was skilled in the art of bargaining and the man wasn’t thrilled at having given in so easily. His chubby unshaven face scowled as he handed her sister a bag.
They sauntered along to a montage of wiry Arabic music. Their favorite café’s brightly colored canopies over round tables popped into sight. They, along with their father, had stumbled across the Golden Pharaoh several years ago. Today it was nearly barren. The twins sat near the street. Taxis and minibuses zoomed past. One bus slammed on its brakes and people poured out into the overcrowded street. Donkeys pulling beat-up carts left their smelly trails behind them. Bicycles swerved to get out of car traffic’s way. Fellahin men with their baggy white trousers and full-length galabiyah of blue and white dominated the area. The Fellahin women trudged behind their husbands with veiled faces and drab black robes.
The server arrived and took their order.
Andrea waited for him to leave before saying, “I’d like to think the papyrus is ancient.”
“Send it out for analysis,” said Elise.
“I must study it first. I’ll be doing the bureaucratic shuffle for months after I hand it over to the Egyptian government.” Bubbles tickled her nose as she blew into her straw. “Khufu’s tomb is intact; I’m certain of it. Why build a grand monument with such a small, unadorned exterior sarcophagus? Because--“
“--it has a different purpose.” Elise finished her sentence.
“What is the House of Secrets?”
“My guess, it’s the Hall of Records those controversial nuts yack about.”
“Even that possibility sounds good right now. I wonder why Father never told us this story.”
“You’re probably the first to uncover it. As Adel’s favorite saying goes, ‘the gods favor you’.”
“You’re hopeless, Elise. That’s just silly superstition.” Andrea rolled her eyes. Clunking plates startled her and her flesh crawled. She thought why am I so jittery?
“Yummy.” Elise, admiring the plump burger and pile of fries, rubbed her hands together and went to work on it. They ate, but Elise couldn’t handle the extended silence. “So, I have a new boyfriend . . .” And then they were off to the ‘why don’t you date’ races.
Elise chattered on while Andrea’s eardrums continued a vain protest. Although she loved her twin, sometimes her sister pressed the issues that Andrea considered trivial. It was the same every time. Andrea listened, nodded her head, and commented when it seemed necessary. She refrained from screaming at Elise whose good intentions never ceased to strike the wrong nerve.
The waiter eventually interrupted what Andrea called torture. “Any desserts today, ladies?” he asked with a slight British accent.
“No thank you,” Andrea replied; Elise shook her head. He placed the bill down before he left. “I’ve got this one.”
“No! It’s my treat!” The paper sliced Andrea’s finger when Elise snatched the check from her hand.
“Owe, that smarts.” Andrea inspected the tiny cut and pressed her fingers together to stop the bleeding.
Scooting their chairs out, the women stood to leave. Elise fumbled through her packed purse. A chill absorbed Andrea; she plucked windswept strands of blond hair from her mouth. Then she saw him.
His black robes remained motionless in the fluttering breeze. An oversized hood shaded his features, but the hatred flickering in his eyes was clear. He slithered across the asphalt.
Elise was still going through her purse when his massive hand made a motion and her head whipped involuntarily toward him. With the women’s attention grasped he said, “You must not seek the Ankh.” His baritone voice scratched at Andrea’s nerves like demonic claws. “Disaster awaits you both. You cannot control its power.” With glacial recognition he stared at Andrea. “Heed my warning, Andrea Regal. The Ankh will bring down the stars upon your head. Listen well for the ancients have spoken.” His body faded like a mirage before he vanished.
The waiter, noting his previous customers’ odd condition, walked over and waved his hand in front of their faces. “Are you two well?”
Elise wagged her head; she blinked hard. “What the hell just happened? Did you see where that man went?”
The waiter’s brow furrowed into a v-shape. “No one approached you.”
“But he was standing right there!” Elise pointed. “You mean to tell me you didn’t see anyone?”
“No, madam.” He left, shaking his head.
“That wasn’t a hallucination, Andrea. Where did he go?” Elise received only a dreamy stare as an answer. Without looking, Elise slapped a large bill on the table, grabbed their bags, and then Andrea's wrist. With a firm tug, Elise said, “We’re going back to camp, now!”
Chapter 2
Chapter 2
Latest page update: made by cleasterwood
, Jun 6 2008, 9:14 AM EDT
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Keyword tags:
Ankh
Cairo
Egypt
Great Pyramid
Khufu
Nile
Old Kingdom
Pyramid
Sphinx
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